Labour on National and vice versa

Sometimes it’s worthwhile listening to what the Government and Opposition have got to say about each other in private. And each has a very different view of the other at present. But there is a degree of validity ion each narrative. National think Labour is hopelessly divided and that Andrew Little has yet to stamp his authority on the Labour caucus. They also think the party’s front bench is not performing particularly well.

Labour on the other hand think that the Prime Minister looks tired and that the “body language” of him and Bill English suggests they have run out of ideas.

Obviously the “globalists” — MPs like Phil Goff, David Shearer and David Parker would like to be able to agree to the TPP. But Andrew Little and Grant Robertson have not been sending the same signals. The danger for Mr Little is that he ends up in the same position as Labour Leader Walter Nash did after the 1951 waterfront dispute which he said he was “neither for nor against”. National hounded him for years over that statement.

Sounds like their new position on the flag!

Meanwhile the Government does seem to have gone off the boil. Their response to the drop in milk prices at this stage is to say that things are not as bad as the critics suggest. But it’s early days. And there are plenty of doomsayers on the Opposition benches. NZ First MPs (for example) claim that they have “inside” information which says the milk price will drop another 50 cents a kilo. So what this all adds up to is that we are in the early stages of what will become a political debate focused intently on the economy. It will require a gear change from National as it leaves the rock star economy behind and it will require more engagement (and some policy) from Labour.

I’d love to see policy from all parties about what they’ll do to foster economic growth.

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Comments (18)

martinh

Keys body language is to distract people from his lies, the only body language he does thats real is the one where he is attempting to extend his hand to pull an attractive ladys ponytail….eeewww.
Now with the economy tanking and the housing market in its final throws before it too implodes Key and English and their lies and the hundred billion dollars of debt they have racked up are going to be the resentment of the nation. Like all politiicans eventually are but this one will be worse as that auckland housing bubble will be catastrophic.
Anyway have a good day you kiwibloggers who thought Key was your magnificent man

Paulus Gnome

martinh

NO shite they are out of ideas, its revolved on the chch rebuild and dairy prices and selling our houses to each other at higher prices. Now that cant go on forever, what kind of idiot called that a rockstar, more like a Gary glitter lol

Nick R

Labour would be daft to release policy now. The election is years away. They will get more mileage out of white anting the Government over worm farms and the like for the time being, and keep their policy powder dry. Of course, they may not have any policy, but that doesn’t really matter because they are not the Government.

The Government’s job on the other hand is to appear competent by denying them the opportunity.

ironswan

alloytoo

I personally doubt NZ first MP have inside information of anything outside of a pub.

Most economists predicted that our economy would slow toward the end of this year, few anticipated the extent of the Chinese slow down and it’s effect on global markets.

It is perhaps time to examine the policy settings, however there are some global events which are very much beyond our fiscal and monetary control. In the face of them we just have to batten down the hatches and make sure our knitting is in order.

One things for certain, there is a dearth of talent on the opposition benches and a dearth of policy.

There is a hell of a lot more strategy in there than dairy and housing. If you don’t like it, please critique it. I doubt that you are even aware it exists. It is way better than anything labour managed. Remember “Economic Transformation” ?

hmmokrightitis

“Now with the economy tanking and the housing market in its final throws before it too implodes”

Do you wave your arms when you pack a tantrum as well? Hold your breath for impact? What a tit you are.

Feel free to confirm with fact that the economy is tanking. The only major concerns with the economy at the moment are dairy (cant be controlled by government) and China (fill in the gaps, Im sure you can). Housing is an Auckland issue, might crash, might not, the signs are that it will most likely correct over a short to medium term.

The economy isnt tanking, its slowing. Thats been expected, as noted by alloytoo. And, in addition to this, its further noted that its likely to expand again into 2016. For example, picking one stat that I know well – did you know that IT as an exporter is about to supplant wine in terms of trade $ benefit to NZ, and is growing at a significant annual rate? No, I bet you didnt. If this is tanking, thank fuck, because we cant keep up.

Black with a Vengeance

Making the old “enterprise allowance” more readily available at MDC/WINZ would help.

The gov’t would rather anyone went fish packing or apple picking or car grooming just to get them off the books rather than foster initiative and entrepreneurialship.

The criteria for a flexiwage that might help sustain a small business or create one is such that they have to be broke as and a virtual unemployable dropkick before getting assistance. And even then it’s an probably more about fudging the stats than providing any meaningful stimulus.

A simple small business tax break won’t cut it anymore. If key wants to prime the pump in the face of a recession he’s gonna have to look at more substantial ways of getting people into self employment.

Yeah, i know, a right wing gov’t as minority shareholders in startups and providing venture capital ?…burn the heretic.

I’d love to see policy from all parties about what they’ll do to foster economic growth.

Why?????
What a lazy cop out. we have a govt. that is supposed to be doing that. Instead they are busy interfering in peoples lives and businesses and busily picking winners. in their minds.
7 years and you have to ask this of others.

REMOVE THE BARRIERS TO PEOPLE DOING STUFF.
I.E. RMA, shopping hours, labour legislation , remove the ability of councils to suck money from the productive, we could go on all day. Not short of idea’s just the guts to do them.
But that’s the Nats. hopless.

Gabby

marleybob

Funny enough, for the first time in my voting life National will not be getting my vote. I know I may have to suffer as hell for three years under Liebor/ green, but it if shakes National out of it appeasement to every minority then hopefully it would be worth it. Winston seems to be saying words that resound in my ears, liebor has a charismatic leader much like flapping snapper, they really need to put someone like Stuart Nash who speaks more from a centralist views than our left leaning John Keyes.

greenjacket

Marleybob: “Winston seems to be saying words that resound in my ears”
Do you really believe that Winston First will ever make any changes once he has baubles of power? His words may be resounding in your ears, but I think they are also echoing around inside your head.

Marleybob: “they really need to put someone like Stuart Nash who speaks more from a centralist views”
This is the same Stuart Nash who marched on a protest against TPPA – and then said that he actually didn’t know if was for or against the TPPA.